Redamancy

Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

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TW///Death, Mental///

[this is where you realise that you skipped the TW chapter and have to go back and read it because that makes no sense ;) ]

School was no longer exciting. At this point, the only thing keeping Astrid going was the fact she could go to university for something she wanted to do with her life. Criminology and how the criminal mind works have always fascinated her in ways nothing else can. Originally it was so she could find out what happened to her biological parents six years prior. Still, as each day passes, the smile that belonged to her mother fades a little more, her fathers already long gone.

The more Astrid thinks about it, the more she wonders if Niki saved her or if she was better off dead with the rest of them. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Astrid pulls out her keys and unlocks the front door. She was greeted by the familiar scent of cinnamon and vanilla, with a hint of freshly brewed coffee, the smell of home.

Home. That's an interesting word. It could mean so many things and be so many people. Home was originally two people in a house in Berlin. But that home has long since been lost. Lost in fogged memories and fading smiles of people that once meant the world. New memories replace them, filled with random drives at 2 am with a sister, the karaoke nights with brothers. A mismatched family of mismatched people who will never replace but instead meet hand in hand with another family.

Why was the topic of her thoughts? The Psychology classes were probably getting to her. Still, deep thoughts were more of Primrose's thing rather than Astrids. Shoving the memories to the back of her head, Astrid steps into the house and is met with Kristen on the couch.

Kristen looks up from whatever book she was reading. "Hey Ari, how was school?"

The only response is a groan as Astrid shuffles into the kitchen, plopping her bookbag on the island countertop and searching for a snack.

"That good, huh?" Kristen mutters before returning to her book. "Well, it's Friday and you and the boys are hanging out tomorrow. I'll start on dinner soon. Hey," she chides, slapping Astrid's hand reaching for the bowl of crisps in front of her. "No. I literally just said I'll start on dinner soon. Homework. Go."

Astrid gave up on her feeble attempts at thievery in favour of grabbing her backpack and walking upstairs to her room. Having the attic was nice. The slanted ceiling made the right wall shorter than the rest, only about four feet. Tapestries, maps, string lights, fake vines, broken or scratched records, and random polaroids of her friends layered the plaster. The left wall had her desk pressed in the far corner next to a filing cabinet. The wall itself had shelves built into it. Books, ceramic bowls, and other oddities littered the surfaces, along with succulents and candles. The bottom shelf held dozens of records to fit in the record player on the opposite wall. Shoved into the closest right corner was a bed. What was usually piles of blankets, pillows, and a cat somewhere in the mix, was nowhere to be found. Instead, the blankets were either straightened out or folded neatly and tucked under the bed and the pillows were carefully placed at the head. The cat still slept peacefully but was curled at the foot. The cleanliness was a telltale sign of Kristen's presence in the room.

Astrid dropped her bag on the bed, startling the cat slightly. "Good morning, Bagheera. How was your nap," she addressed the all-black cat. Bagheera simply let his head fall back to where it originally was and went back to sleep. Astrid opened her bag and pulled out her psychology folder and Further Maths binder. There was this one girl with dark chocolate brown hair who sat in the front row of the lecture hall, always raised her hand, knew the answer to every question, and was never late. Astrid loved her. She wanted nothing more than to talk to the brunette, but she was gone before Astrid had time to pack up. One day, at some point, Astrid will meet this pretty student with brown hair and a quick mind, but that is someday, not now.